1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices used in securing medical equipment to the head and face, and more specifically, to devices for securing nasal cannulas.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the troposphere, atmospheric gas used in breathing consists of approximately seventy-eight percent nitrogen, twenty-one percent oxygen, and many other trace elements such as carbon dioxide and argon. Of these gases, oxygen, in the elemental form of dioxygen, is the most abundantly used atmospheric gas in the cellular respiration required for homeostasis in living vertebrates. Without oxygen, cellular respiration becomes anaerobic, and can only function for a brief moment before cell damage or cell death occurs.
It is well known within the medical and sports professions that supplemental oxygen can ease labored breathing and offer relief to individuals whom are unable to extract sufficient oxygen from normal atmospheric inhalation by supplying a source of pure oxygen in and around the airways. This oxygen can originate from a plurality of sources such as, but not limited to, rebreathers, tanks, or regulators.
One method of supplying oxygen to an individual suffering from general hypoxia is to apply a mask to the face surrounding the nose and mouth that is secured using an adjustable or elastic strap encompassing the head or neck. The mask possesses an attached cannula providing free-flowing oxygen to the mask opening. This modality of oxygen delivery works sufficiently during short-term use, but is cumbersome to wear and does not allow the user to easily eat, speak, or otherwise use the mouth unless the mask is removed, which disrupts the flow of oxygen.
Within the related art came the need for an open-face cannula system to allow the user the use of their mouth, and as such, applying the flow of oxygen to the nasal passage became the preferred method of administration.
A simple cannula hose was developed with a small centrally-located reservoir that entered the nostrils and supplied flowing oxygen without impeding upon use of the mouth. The cannula was held in place by placing the reservoir within the nostrils then wrapping the cannula hose posteriorly behind both ears, thus applying rearward pressure against the face. This eventually became inconvenient to the user, as the pulling forces placed upon the ears became uncomfortable. The placement of the hoses also placed undue pressure upon the areas normally reserved for the arms of eyeglasses.
In an effort to relieve pressure on the ears, another device within the related art presented a modified eyeglass frame which transmitted oxygen via two small tubes running through the arms of the unit, down the nose frame, and exiting the unit just above the nostrils. The exited tubes then hooked into the nasal passageway and supplied the user with the preferred gasses. This eliminated pressure upon the ears, but limited the ability of the user to wear eyeglasses of their preference. Another inconvenience was the non-modular construction of the device. If any part of the device should become compromised from normal use or inflicted damage, the entire unit must be replaced at a significant cost to the end user.
In an effort to simplify the securement of nasal cannulas, practitioners began using single-sided adhesive strips to trap the cannula against the face. Unfortunately, this simple, but effective method often leaves adhesive residues on the skin, creating unsightly dermal irritation and or dark blotches that require solvents to remove.
Another modality within the related art of securing a nasal cannula are small clips for encompassing and subsequently affixing the cannula to headwear such as hats, or glasses in an effort to relieve pressure from the posterior ear. This required the user to continuously wear some form of headdress for the clips to attach to, which is not convenient, and occasionally inappropriate such as at certain ceremonies.
It could be said within the related art there are many reasonable and purposefully specific cannula securement devices but none offer the security attachment, comfort, reliability, ease of replacement, and versatility required by those using a nasal cannula for extended periods. The present invention addresses these needs by providing an appropriately over-sized eyeglass-like frame from which a standard nasal cannula assembly removably attaches. This spreads the force of the cannula across several points on the head, lessening the perceived force on any specific area.